Raspberries & Crème
by Pearl of the Dark Age
Summary: Warshipping: SetoXAmelda. EX ONESHOT Kaiba uses a Duel Monsters Tournament to lure Amelda into his life. Complications ensue when another blue eyed brunette gets jealous! Warning: shonen ai
1. Chapter 1

My First FanFic!

01.29.06

Title: **Raspberries & Créme**

Subject: Warshipping  
Author: Pearl of the Dark Age  
Rating: PG for implications of sex and violence  
Warnings: sexual implications, shonen-ai/yaoi  
Disclaimer: This is a fanfic. I do not own any part or whole of Yu-Gi-Oh. I am not making any money off this, either. No copyright infringement is intended on the author's behalf.

The office door banged open. Fury swelled inside Seto at the indecency as he tore his eyes away from the computer screen. The fury cascaded down through his chest into his loins; where it morphed into desire at the sight of a particular red-head.

_Raspberries_, he thought. That's what the color reminded him of.

Amelda dragged the unconscious from of a henchman across the room and deposited him three feet from Seto's desk. _I wonder if it smells like raspberries, too._

"If I were you, I'd take this goon off the payroll," Amelda said suavely, through a smug grin, "but I would have thought that with the knowledge of my previous occupation - your stalker, that is - you would anticipate that I might know a thing or two…"

_Stalker…_That word threatened Seto's veneer of apathy. It tickled the edge of his mouth as he forced himself not to smile.

Amelda stared for a moment; trying to scrutinize the inscrutable. Then he said playfully, "You couldn't have seriously underestimated me. If you have, I'm disappointed."

"I'm disappointed," Seto countered, "You gave up being my stalker."

Amelda's mind went numb. _Is he flirting?_ he wondered. _No, it's only my imagination. He's playing mind games with me._

"Is he dead?" Seto's practical question, which was void of concern, brought Amelda painfully back to reality. Then the crumpled shape let out a groan on cue.

"No, just knocked out. He'll have a splitting headache when he awakes. That's the worst of it…" Amelda's voice trailed. Seto opened his top drawer, found what he was looking for, and walked over to the figure that was stirring.

"Get up," Seto commanded. The man stood up, shakily.

"Kaiba-sama…"

"Here," Seto handed him two pills, "They're aspirin. There's a water-cooloer across the hall."  
"Thank you, sir."

"Tokonoshi-san," Seto continued.

"Yes?"

"You're fired," he said with a cold pleasantness. Amelda gave a soft snort, but Seto didn't look at him. Mr. Tokonoshi's jaw clenched. Without saying a word, he bowed and walked swiftly from the office. Seto walked back to his chair and resumed sitting.

"So, what do you want, Kaiba?" Amelda demanded, breaking the silence.

Seto's eyes locked into the silvery stare. _You_, he yearned to say. The ardent flame within incensed. "The same thing you do," Seto evasively replied.

"I don't want anything from a boor!" Amelda cried savagely. He had lost his internal balance from the CEO's remark. Recovering quickly, he said calmly, "Whatever game you're playing, Kaiba-boy, you won't win. Not this time."

"I'm not playing a game."

"Yeah, right. If you can't tell me the truth, I'm leaving."

Seto bit his tongue. He always got what he wanted. _Patience_, he thought as his insides squirmed. _The time will come to reveal your hand._

"Fine," Amelda responded to the silence. The lithe figure made short progress to the exit. At the door, Seto's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Let's do lunch sometime."

Amelda wheeled around; completely taken aback for the second time. "Who are you? Pegasus?"

"No. You are the one who wore that disguise well."

Amelda paused. _True_, he thought. _I had fun with that… _Trying to wrap his brain around the situation, he thought he'd play this one out. "Lunch?"

"Yes."

"So we can continue playing our game?"

"It's not a game. I don't believe it is a game when both sides win," Seto smiled without betraying his cool disposition. He was equally impressed with himself as he was amused by the torture that flitted across Amelda's fine features. _Raspberries and crème_, he thought, _will be mine soon._

Amelda realized that his internal struggle must have shown. Regaining calm, he said as sardonically as possible, "I assume you have my number," and left before giving the CEO a chance to reply.


	2. Chapter 2

**Raspberries & Crème **

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Author's Note: **You lucky readers… It only took a few people to persuade me to continue what was supposed to be a one-shot! Well, I'm sure fellow warshippers will agree that we just can't get enough of Amelda and Seto! I'm supposed to be finishing my overdue Chemistry labs, but this is much more fun! Hee hee!

Chapter 2

"What's this?" Amelda asked as Seto handed him an envelope.

"Your invitation," he replied casually. He had been smiling all throughout their lunch. So far the atmosphere between the two former enemies was quite pleasant and friendly. People chatted amiably all around them, giving Seto Kaiba curious looks every once in a while. Amelda reasoned that this was due to the CEO's celebrity status, since Amelda was not wearing anything conspicuous - for once.

"An invitation to what?" the redhead persisted. He nimbly opened the fancy envelope to read. "You want me to enter a Duel Monsters tournament?" Amelda felt the butterflies that had faded from the beginning of their lunch return.

"There's a dinner party, too. It's to celebrate the fifth year anniversary of Kaiba Land. We opened with a tournament; so we'll celebrate with another one," Seto explained. "It'll be more low key, this time. Only a hundred or so guest to the formal dinner, and only four contestants in the duel tournament." He paused for dramatic effect. "And the winner will get to duel _me_ this time!"

Amelda gulped, then smiled. "Sounds exciting," he laughed. "But you _are_ aware that I'm no longer interested in harvesting your soul, right? Not that I could if I wanted - the power behind the Seal is gone."

"Are you so sure that you'll win?" Seto returned, his voice low. "I'm inviting some strong duelist. All are former enemies who once wanted a piece of me. Maybe they still do…"

"_Really_?" Amelda breathed, intrigued. "I'm starting to think you are a little crazy."

"Just ambitious," the brunette replied airily. He took the bill for their order when the waiter arrived. "We'll have to do this again sometime," Seto stated.

Amelda was feeling disappointed. He had been fantasizing steamy scenarios ever since he had received the phone call. This "date" had been too platonic for his taste - or rather - his interest. "I was under the impression, Kaiba, that you had some ulterior motive. Is this invitation all that you had in mind? You could have just sent it in the mail."

"That would've been no fun. And you are right about me having an ulterior motive," Seto admitted. He smiled broadly at the look of surprise he received. "But you should know me better, Amelda. I'm not divulging my plans so readily to you. So, if you're interested in solving my riddle, I suggest you keep in touch. I assume you have my number."

He indulged the confused redhead with another superior smile and left. Amelda sat there for a few minutes wondering, _What the hell is he up to? _before departing the diner himself.

o o

When Amelda arrived home he read the invitation more thoroughly the second time. At the bottom, he gave a snort of disgust. It stated that formal attire was mandatory: gents wear ties, and ladies wear dresses. "I'm not wearing a tie!" Amelda said aloud.

"Who are you talking to, mate?" a voice behind him inquired. Amelda started and turned around to face his second blue-eyed brunette of the day. His roommate was grinning as if he had caught Amelda in an embarrassing act.

"Myself, Varon," the redhead scorned. "Who else? I didn't think you were home; I didn't see your bike out front."

"It's in the shop."

"Again?" Amelda smirked. "What did you do this time?" The stories got wilder and funnier each time his roommate did some asinine stunt to push the limits of his riding abilities.

"Let's just say I got soaked," he answered mischievously. "What's that?" Without waiting for a reply, Varon snatched the invitation out of Amelda's hands and ran for it. He knew he had to run because Amelda's reflexes were much faster than his, so it was precious since he even had managed to seize it in the first place.

Amelda chased him down the street, cursing the Aussie. He rounded the corner and found him wide eyed with amazement. "Kaiba invited you to a duel tournament? And a _party_?" He looked up at Amelda, who repossessed his letter faster than a blink.

The paper rustled as Amelda's hand shook a little with anger. "It's none of your damn business!" he said hotly.

Varon gave him a side-ways look of disbelief. "Kaiba must be insane to invite you. Are you actually going to go? I didn't know you were insane, too." He narrowed an eye in suspicion. "Where were you today?"

Amelda calmed down, hoping to look as nonchalant as he could. "I just went out for lunch. When I came home, this arrived in the mail."

"Then how come there's no stamp?"

"How should I know?" Amelda replied. "It could have been hand-delivered! Did you see anyone?"

"Uh…" apparently Varon bought Amelda's lie. "No." They both walked back to the house together. Varon treated his friend to another harrowing tale of how he nearly escaped the jaws of death on his motorcycle yet again. Amelda, who was more practical, shook his head patronizingly.

Varon did not mention the invitation again until after dinner. He only brought it up to distract Amelda from lecturing him about washing the dishes. "Are you actually going to go to that thing? I can't believe it!"

"Varon," Amelda said slowly. "This is important to me. Can't you at least understand that?"

Varon deflated. "I guess," he muttered. "I still can't see why. If you don't want revenge, then what do you want?" Amelda refused to answer.


	3. Chapter 3

Raspberries & Crème

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

I know these are very dull, but I'd rather not experience the thrills of a lawsuit… or having my stuff deleted!

Chapter 3

As soon as Seto arrived home his smile faded away. There in the foyer stood Mokuba. "What are you so happy about, Nii-sama?" he asked. It sounded innocent enough, but it was subtly laced with suspicion.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with," his older brother replied. "Have you received confirmation of the guests' attendance yet? I want this anniversary celebration to be memorable."

"Yeah, it's all ready," Mokuba informed. He gave his brother another quizzical look. "You've been acting really strange, lately. You're smiles are usually so rare, but I've been seeing them more often."

_True_, Seto thought. _I probably smiled more today than I have in my whole lifetime. _He annoyed his brother with a superior smirk and walked off to his study. He knew Mokuba was getting suspicious. Seto had been making a big deal out of being sure that everything went perfectly for such a small scale event. He planned on letting Mokuba in on the plan _after_ it worked. That way, if it failed, he would not have to suffer the stigma of his loss.

The dinner party was ten days away. Seto planned the party in consideration of Amelda - not out of his own personal preferences. The CEO had henchmen stalk the redhead and research every little scrap of information about him. The cuisine to be served at the party included all of Amelda's favorites, and the wine came bottled from the very vineyard that his relatives owned in Knin. Seto was not worried about being obvious, he wanted to see the look of revelation upon Amelda's face when the time ripened.

_I also would like to see him in a tux_, Seto thought. He knew Amelda preferred casual wear, but he did not care. Seto was on a mission to seduce the pacifist and fulfill his fantasy at the same time. He felt out of character smiling so often lately, but these feelings were uncharted waters for him. In his study, he reminded himself that it was important not to get carried away.

A couple days later…

"You're dead meat!" Varon cried, swerving his body in synchronized motion to the figure upon the television screen.

"Not if I toast you first!" Amelda returned, pushing the buttons furiously upon his video game controller. "Ha! I won again!" He promptly stuck out his tongue at his roommate and blew a raspberry. "You should just give it up, short stack. My reflexes are just too fast for your slow brain."

Varon growled in displeasure. Folding his arms huffily, he shot Amelda a look of blazing tenacity. "Gloat all you like, mate! One of these days I'll catch you with your pants down!"

"You wish," Amelda cajoled. He wondered if Varon had any inkling about the effects certain statements had on him. So far, it appeared the feisty brunette was oblivious to Amelda's sexual orientation. Raphael knew. He knew from the beginning. And any time one of these comments had been made by the loudmouth, the blonde had shaken his head at their comrade's hopelessness. This had only made Amelda laugh harder.

"So, have you told Raphael yet?" Varon asked suddenly as if they were continuing some kind of forgotten conversation.

"Told Raphael what?"

"About Kaiba inviting you to this _party_ and this _duel_," Varon supplied, mocking the two words of choice.

"Uh… not yet. I don't want him to worry," Amelda replied. "You know how he gets. Have you heard from him lately?"

"Yesterday," Varon answered. "He says he's been very busy massaging his wife's feet and changing the baby's diapers." Varon laughed softly to himself. "A year ago I never would've been able to keep a straight face at the thought of Raphael being a daddy." He turned to Amelda. "Do you think that we'll ever find someone to love?"

"I thought you wanted to chase skirts for the rest of your life - not settle down!" Amelda teased. An ache shot through his heart. _I want Kaiba_, he thought. _I don't care if I never get married. I just want him all to myself._

"I enjoy the bachelor's life," Varon grinned. "but I want what Raphael has, too. He's really happy!" Amelda looked over at the serious countenance his friend wore. He sympathized for him while grateful for the umpteenth time that Varon could not read his mind. He would never hear the end of the crude jokes the Aussie could dish out.

Varon got up to turn off the video game. Neither one of them spoke for a few minutes while Amelda went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the two of them. Varon wandered in when enticing aromas wafted through their small house, his baby blues shining with anticipation. "Dinner will be ready in five minutes," Amelda informed him. "Set the table."

"Set the table, _please_," Varon returned. "You are so controlling!" Nevertheless, he obliged. He knew that if he put up more resistance, he would not be allowed to eat. And he could not cook to save his life! "Do you want milk or something else to drink?"

"I thought you drank the last of it," Amelda glanced into the refrigerator.

"I bought some more this morning."

"Well," Amelda exclaimed, "color me surprised!" They exchanged grins and sat down to their scrumptious meal.


	4. Chapter 4

Raspberries & Crème

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh - Takahashi does.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I'm updating again, obviously. These chapters are all kind of on the short side, I know. That's not my usual writing style. Nor is writing the chapters in sequential order.

I'm currently (04.22.06) suffering from writer's block. (I'm referring to my fic, **Mokuba's Plan**) My beta-reader is rabid for more. I can't believe I found a stapler that will staple over a 100 pages (18 chapters)! I made it into a hardcopy I nicknamed, "the Package." Currently, a friend of mine has it. When I get it back, I'll have all my edits to do, and it will be good to go!

Chapter 4

_Bam_! Mokuba hit the off button on his alarm clock so hard he thought he broke his fingers! _That was close! _he thought. _My plan would be ruined if Nii-sama woke up! _His bedroom was two doors down the hall from his older brother's, but he was nervous nonetheless. It was three o'clock in the morning. Tomorrow night was the dinner party, and Seto still had not informed Mokuba what his ulterior motives were.

So, Mokuba was going to find out for himself!

He got up and dressed quickly. Grabbing a flashlight, he gave the decoy in his bed one last glance. It was a mannequin about his size he had found in a thrift shop. He had put a wig on it, and had placed it under the bed sheets. _I hope this works!_

Moving as silent as a shadow, he went to his Nii-sama's study first. He shut the door as quietly as he could; the old lock clicked loudly like a gunshot in a quiet temple. He winced. He pressed his ear to the door to hear any approaching footsteps. Several hundred panicked heartbeats later, he exhaled a sigh of relief, and tiptoed over to the desk. On the desk were only a few items and Seto's personal laptop. Opening it, he promptly muted the volume and typed in the user password.

Mokuba searched the document folder. He used the search tool to look in all the files and programs on the hard drive. There was plenty of information about the party. But it was all information Mokuba already knew. The duelist that were going to participate in the tournament were Seig, Jonouchi, Pegasus, and Amelda. _Why these guys? _Mokuba wondered. _There has to be a connection._ What surprised him the most was that Jonouchi had been included. What puzzled him the most was that his brother had invited people who hated him.

Mokuba was aggravated. It did not make any sense. He was no closer here than he was just simply confronting his nii-sama about it. He tried looking through all the keystrokes accumulated in the hard drive memory. It revealed nothing new. He searched through all the drawers in the desk, looking for unlabeled cds, removable hard drives, and three-inch floppies. He found a fair amount, and proceeded to upload them one by one.

Most of them contained brainchild plans that involved the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in some way, shape, or form. Mokuba glossed this over, _I don't think Nii-sama's obsession has anything to do with it._ He popped his last hope into the USB port. It contained a ton of information on Amelda.

_But this is more like a personal profile. _Mokuba chewed it over as he looked down the list of all the redhead's likes and dislikes. _Where he works, what Duel Monster cards he owns, where he lives_, _doesn't like pineapple…_ Mokuba thought, _Why in the hell would Nii-sama even care about this?_ And then it hit him. _Everything that's on the menu for the dinner party is on here! Even the wine is imported from Amelda's country!_

_But why Amelda?_ Mokuba was more confused than ever. He sat there for a few minutes, just staring at the glowing screen. No inspiration came to him. He thoroughly studied all the information that Seto had obtained, but it all seemed trivial. In the end he put everything away in their respective places and shut down the laptop.

_Maybe, _he pondered, _the secret is at his office in Kaiba Corp!_ That is why Mokuba had gotten dressed. He was almost old enough to drive and possessed a driver's permit. And he was nearly finished with his driving lessons. His nii-sama had given up trying to teach him after the first two lessons - Mokuba had crashed into the side of a hill - and had hired a tutor. So, Mokuba did not have a license, yet. He grabbed his keys from his bedroom, stole down to the garage, and located his car. Seto had bought it for him to motivate him to pass the test on the first try.

It was shiny. It was fast. A mischievous elf-like grin stretched across Mokuba's features. His dark eyes glinted. _It wouldn't hurt to take it for a test drive_, he thought. He snickered as he opened up the door on the right hand side and sat behind the wheel. He deeply inhaled the new car smell. _The girls are going to love me in this!_

Mokuba moved his seat forward - he was still a little on the short side. He put the key into the ignition and started the engine. Holding the clutch and the brake down, he shifted it into reverse. He looked behind him responsibly, and laid a heavy foot on the accelerator while releasing the clutch too quickly. The whole car jerked backwards for a moment and then zoomed in reverse. Crash!

He had smashed right into Nii-sama's BMW convertible that was parked on the other side of the garage. _Uh-oh…_Mokuba had no doubts that the noise had woken the household. He only had time to pull forward a couple feet, turn off the engine, and get out to survey the damage. The trunk of Seto's car was now concaved.

Mokuba could hear breathing behind him. It sounded like a wounded gorilla. He turned slowly to face his enraged brother. He felt his vocal cords tighten, and not a word of apology or defense could he utter.

The next day…

"If you're going then I'm going, too!" Varon announced hotly. He had banged open Amelda's bedroom door while the latter was in the middle of getting dressed.

"Do you ever knock?" Amelda asked in disgust. "Varon, you can't go; you're not invited." He pulled on his black leather pants, zipping them up with care.

Varon glanced at the pants. "I thought the invitation said _formal_ attire. You're supposed to be wearing a tie!"

"Not a snowball's chance in hell!" Amelda cried. "I'm wearing _my_ clothes!"

Varon grinned mischievously. "Here," he said, walking over to Amelda's chest of drawers. He pulled out a black shirt the same size as Amelda's signature gray one. "Wear this! Kaiba's going to hate it!"

Amelda blinked. "I love this shirt! Why would he hate it?" He held it up. On it was the face of Jack the Skeleton from _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. He put it on without waiting for a reply.

Varon was on his stomach, rummaging underneath the redhead's bed. "Here," the brunette said as he wiggled out from underneath, clutching a pair of knee-high boots with three inch heels. "Wear these, too!"

"Why are you telling me what to wear?"

"If you're not going to wear what you're supposed to, you might as well screw it up properly," Varon replied gleefully. "You're going to be smashing!"

"_Smashing_? Did you learn that from your day-by-day vocabulary builder?" Amelda jeered sarcastically.

Varon looked affronted. "I'm only trying to help," he replied. "I thought that you would look pretty hot in this outfit."

The redhead shut up. _Hot? _He looked over the articles Varon had selected. _He's right_, Amelda thought. _I will look hot. I'm surprised Varon thought of it_. He nodded to his sulking roommate to show his agreement. Varon walked out of the bedroom as Amelda finished getting dressed, accessorizing with a couple pieces of silver jewelry, some belts, and arm-length gloves. "What do you think?" he asked, walking out into the living room.

Varon smiled broadly. "I like it!" he winked. "But Kaiba's going to hate it! I wish I could see his face when he sees you!" Amelda's smile faded. "What's wrong, mate?"

"Nothing," the redhead lied. _I want Kaiba to like it, too!_

**Author's Note**: Steering wheels are on the right hand side in Japan. They drive on the left side of the road.

Disclaimer: I do not own BMW or _The Nightmare Before Christmas_.


	5. Chapter 5

Raspberries & Crème

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I don't make money off of this, either. My only REWARD is REVIEWS! Thank you!

Chapter 5

"Where's Mokuba?" Jonouchi asked conversationally. "I expected him to be here."

"He's grounded," Seto informed him. "He was supposed to come, but since last night…"

"What happened last night?" Yugi asked.

"Nothing," Seto lied. He sipped his wine and continued looking around the room. The dinner party was in full swing. Everyone was standing around, sipping wine, nibbling appetizers, while waiting for the dinner gong. All of the guest were here - except one. _Where is he? _Seto wondered. He was growing impatient.

"Isn't there supposed to be four duelist?" Pegasus asked. He was standing next to Seto. Next to Pegasus was Sieg, who gave a snort of disgust.

"Yeah," Jonouchi spoke up, "who's the fourth, Kaiba? You never put it on our invitations."

"You'll see," Seto replied quietly. He was on the verge of grinding his teeth, again. It was a bad habit of his. He turned to Sieg. "What's your problem?"

"I know who you invited," Sieg said snootily. "I'm outraged you would invite some rift raft from _that _country! He's probably a vagrant."

Seto's eyes narrowed in anger as his blood boiled. He did not appreciate his man being called a "vagrant." He bit his tongue from saying anything. He did not know how Sieg knew who was invited. But then again, this was Sieg. Most likely, the pink twerp hacked into his files, again.

Pegasus looked mildly interested at Sieg. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. "I know who the fourth duelist is, too," he said slowly. "I can't understand why you would hate him so much. Do you even know him?"

"Know him?" Sieg cried. "Hmph! I don't associate myself with such nobodies."

Pegasus ignored him. He turned back to Seto. "I'm curious, Kaiba-boy. Why did you chose a wine from Knin? Isn't that around where Amelda's from?"

"Amelda?" Both Jonouchi and Yugi exclaimed simultaneously. "Kaiba, are you insane?" Jonouchi asked. "He tried to steal your soul!"

"I did that, too, if you recall," Pegasus interrupted. "And Amelda's associate took mine as well. But I'm not afraid. Water under the bridge - right, Kaiba-boy?"

"You're all talking nonsense," Sieg muttered.

"I wish that were true," Seto spoke up. He had been enjoying the banter back and forth between his guests, and he was mildly surprised by Pegasus' support. "How do you two know who the fourth contestant is? I haven't officially said anything."

"I asked around," Pegasus replied casually.

"I hacked your computer," Sieg confessed. "Kaiba, you seriously need better security."

Seto grumbled his displeasure. Jonouchi smirked. Yugi looked worried. Pegasus continued to be nonchalant. Sieg was fuming under his pink tresses at the indecency of the whole event. There was a shriek nearby. "Honestly!" a woman's throaty voice cried. "_That _should not be allowed!" The five men turned in the direction of the voice. The crowd was parting to let whatever it was through. _That_ turned out to be Amelda. He approached as he spotted them. A slight smile affirmed his enjoyment at making a scene.

Amelda looked very out of place among a swarm of tuxedoes and cocktail dresses. The leather pants accentuated his long legs and the light rippled seductively across his exposed abdomen. If Seto did not have an iron clad control over his features, his jaw would have dropped to the floor. Jonouchi was upset that he had to spend a lot of yen to rent a tux, when he could have just worn an attire as he pleased. Yugi was dumbstruck. Pegasus hid his grin behind his glass of wine, looking over to see Sieg's reaction.

Sieg was beside himself. He glared at Amelda, who was shocked at this reception. He gave the rose he held an angry twirl. "What did I say?" he said scathingly. "Worthless. He taints your anniversary celebration, Kaiba! How can you allow this?"

"If you don't like it, Sieg, you are free to leave," Seto replied calmly. Only his eyes showed the intensity of his loathing towards Sieg.

The mauve-clad entrepreneur brushed the rose against Seto's cheek. "Kaiba," he crooned. "You can do so much better."

Seto did not have a chance to reply. Out of nowhere, there was a blur as the rose was snatched away in the blink of an eye. The two men turned to see Amelda holding it, glaring silver daggers at Sieg. Everyone watched as he crumbled the rose - thorns and all - in a couple seconds. He threw it back into Sieg's face! The ruined flower bounced off and fell to the floor. Amelda promptly crushed the head of the rose under his thick, three-inch heel. "Get lost! Or it'll be your skull, next!" the redhead hissed venomously.

"Hmph!" Sieg sniffed. He turned up his nose, closed his eyes, and sauntered off. Everyone except Seto clapped. He only smirked.

"Bravo!" Pegasus cheered. "I've been wanting to do that all night!" He laughed.

"I never liked that pink-haired freak!" Jonouchi added. "Way to show him who's boss!" Yugi nodded in agreement.

Amelda blushed at his audience. "Thanks." He turned to Pegasus. "Why does he hate me so much? I don't even know who he is."

"He's prejudice," Pegasus replied. "Of course, I don't understand it." He took another sip of his wine. "I have to say, Amelda. This is the best white wine I've ever tasted! Usually, I'm more partial to red wine, but this vintage just might have me converted!"

Amelda's bewilderment splashed across his face. He turned to Seto, whose impassive veneer was not enough to detract from the twinkle in his eyes. "What's he talking about?" Amelda queried.

"Where is the country, Knin?" Jonouchi asked. Amelda turned around to face him. "Isn't that where you're from? They were saying something about the wine being from your country."

"Huh?" Amelda replied, confused. "Knin is a town - not a country. And I'm not from that country. My relatives are. My mother's cousin owns a vineyard there."

"Didn't you use to live there?" Seto inquired behind Amelda's back. The redhead turned around again. "Before you moved back to Japan?"

"Yes, but that's not where I was born. I only went there after Doom was over. I grew up in the neighboring country."

Seto's disappointment was not revealed. He was irritated that his sources got it wrong. "Have a glass," he politely offered. He waved over a waiter carrying a glass and a bottle. Amelda's eyes widened, seeing his family crest upon the label.

"That's…" he could not finish. He accepted the glass poured out for him by Seto.

"How come Amelda gets to dress like that?" Jonouchi asked suddenly, annoyed.

Seto silenced Jonouchi with a look. He locked eyes with the redhead. They were so close, he could see his own reflection in the midst of silver. "Didn't you read the invitation? It clearly stated _formal _attire."

"I don't wear ties," Amelda said simply. "And I avoid dressing up if I can."

The CEO did not know whether to be furious or impressed. The dinner gong sounded, and all the guests shuffled around to take their seats. The four duelist and Kaiba had the table in the front. Sieg had returned in silence. He carefully avoided eye contact with anyone. Pegasus looked ruffled having to sit next to him.

Nevertheless, the American CEO chatted gaily with Yugi and Jonouchi about his newest cards. Sieg stared at his plate, feigning deafness. Amelda and Seto only half listened. They had their own polite conversation as Amelda answered all of the Japanese CEO's questions. The redhead did not feel uncomfortable at all in his outfit. He attracted a lot of flattering winks from nearby guests. He noticed that Seto showed the barest traces of interest. He made a mental note to himself to thank Varon later for the fashion tips.

Amelda's eyes widened in delight at their entrees. "I love this!" he said, ecstatic. He dove into his plate before Yugi's plate had been put down.

Sieg's face twisted in disgust. "No table manners…" he muttered under his breath.

Pegasus, who was the only one who heard, rolled his eye. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Jonouchi occasionally asked, "What's this?" and "What's this?" Amelda was more than happy to answer all of these inquiries. Seto smiled to himself, surprised the pacifist had not yet caught on.

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**Raspberries & Crème**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own (as if you haven't been paying attention) Yu-Gi-Oh. What a surprise.

Chapter 6

Mokuba peeked around the corner. Everyone was sitting down at the dinner tables. He could see his brother across the room, dining with the other duelists. Mokuba received two shocks. The first was Amelda's attire, which stood out even across the room. The second - which was even more surprising - was that Nii-sama seemed to be enjoying himself!

Mokuba straightened his tie. He knew his brother would not approve of him sneaking into the party. He was supposed to be sitting in his room - contemplating the mistake he had made the night before in all its glorious details. However, there was a girl that Mokuba had a crush on that had been invited, and he was not going to miss this opportunity to impress her for all the wealth of Kaiba Corp!

Mokuba walked into the room, keeping a low profile. He could not spot his crush, and it was starting to make him really nervous. "Mokuba-kun!" a voice behind him made him jump. "What are you doing here? Kaiba-kun said you were grounded!"

Mokuba turned around to see Yugi emerging from the men's restroom. "Uh…" he stammered. "I… Yugi! Please don't tell on me!" And Mokuba launched into a brief summary of the previous night's events and a rapid explanation of why he came. "So you see, my nii-sama is very unreasonable."

It was clear that Yugi did not necessarily agree with Mokuba's last statement. "I don't think Kaiba-kun is unreasonable _this _time. If fact, I think you got off light. My grandfather would have… Well, I'd rather not think about it."

"Your grandfather is very nice."

"You've never seen him angry," Yugi countered.

"Are you going to turn me in?" Mokuba asked.

"No," Yugi smiled. "But if you get caught, don't tell him I saw you." And Yugi walked back to his designated table.

"What was that about, Yugi?" Jonouchi asked in a whisper when his spiky-haired friend returned. "Wasn't that Mokuba?"

"Shh!" Yugi hushed. He glanced over to Seto, who had not noticed. "I'll explain later." In fact, if Yugi did not know any better, he would say that Kaiba-kun was not acting like himself. Seto seemed dazed. His expression remained neutral. But his eyes were glassy. He was fixated on the chattering redhead, but apparently was not really listening. He occasionally would smile vaguely, as if some interesting thought had penetrated his mind that had nothing to do with the conversation.

Amelda was entertaining everyone at the table with funny stories. Most involved pranks he had played on his roommate, Varon. Jonouchi had a good laugh at one in particular:

When they were working for Dartz, Varon had a habit of running to answer the office phone. He would drop _whatever _it was he was doing just in case it might have been Mai. Both Raphael and Amelda had found this extremely annoying. So, Amelda had invited Mai over to the office - unbeknownst to the brunette. And while Varon had been in the shower, the sadistic redhead had called the office phone with his cell. Into the office rushed a naked and wet Aussie in two seconds flat. Mai had laughed so hard she had fallen to the floor crying.

Everyone but Sieg found this funny. "Why are you so mean to him?" Seto asked, curious.

"I don't know," Amelda answered. "I guess we just have a special relationship."

"Isn't it about time, Kaiba, that you inform us about the duel we'll be competing in tomorrow?" Sieg asked, highly annoyed.

Seto's usual expression of irritation returned instantly. "After dessert," he replied. "I don't care about your impatience, Sieg. I am running this event my own way."

"What's for dessert?" Jonouchi inquired immediately. But it was answered for him a moment later. Waiters surrounded all the tables in a swarm, whisking away empty plates, and replacing them with the dessert.

"Raspberries and crème?" Amelda queried. This dish was not one of Amelda's favorites, but he liked raspberries. Seto liked them even more!

"Looks good to me!" Jonouchi exclaimed. He took a big bite at once, trying to smile with his cheeks full.

"I don't believe it!" Seto fumed under his breath.

"What?" Jonouchi asked, swallowing his mouthful. He looked at Seto, incredulous; then, he noticed that the CEO was looking in another direction. Everyone turned to see.

"What's he doing here?" Seto rhetorically asked the group, not looking at them for an answer. Everyone could see Mokuba sitting at a table on the other side of the banquet hall, conversing with a picturesque beauty.

"What a pretty little girl," Sieg crooned. "I can see why he doesn't care much for your rules, Kaiba."

"Shut up!" Seto snarled. He got up and walked over to the table where his younger brother was dining. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked in cold whisper.

Mokuba swallowed a bucketful of ice. _Uh-oh_, he thought. _I know that voice_. He closed his eyes, waiting for the axe to fall. "Don't behead me!" he cried out.

"What are you blabbering about?" Seto scorned. "Come with me, now!" Mokuba excused himself from his table, and walked with his nii-sama to the head table. "Sit here," Seto commanded, pointing to the empty seat on his left side. Amelda, who sat on the right, looked over to Mokuba with an unusual expression on his face.

"Hi there," Mokuba said politely to him, feeling uncomfortable. "Long time - no see."

"Yeah," the redhead replied quietly. "Thank you for returning Miruko's toy to me."

"You're welcome."

"Enough talk!" Seto interrupted. "You are not supposed to be enjoying yourself!" He had not yet taken his seat. He stood behind it, glaring at Sieg. "I suppose it's time I make the announcements."

At the end of the night, Seto's good mood had all vanished. He was furious with Mokuba. He had informed the guest of the tournament tomorrow - who versus whom and the usual standard rules. And the winner's reward would be the chance to duel him. "That's not a reward," Jonouchi had muttered. Mokuba had kicked him under the table. Sieg had laughed, and Amelda had hit him upside the head. Then, everyone else had laughed.

_I hadn't planned on making my move yet_, Seto thought as he watched his guests departing. _But I feel exposed with my younger brother around. Nobody can read me like him. I don't want him to spoil everything_. Seto's anxiety surmounted inside of him. He wanted Amelda to win the tournament. He wanted to defeat him, and then invite him for dinner at his house. Then, he would make his move just when the pacifist was supposed to be in awe at Seto's amazing abilities and qualities. (Yeah, right…)

At Amelda's house…

"How did it go?" Varon immediately inquired as his roommate came through the front door. "Was Kaiba upset about your outfit?" he asked eagerly.

"Actually," Amelda replied, his cheshire-cat smile widening, "I should thank you, Varon. It may have been my imagination, but I think he was impressed. The party was pleasant. Thanks for asking. If you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed. I have a duel to win tomorrow."

"Good night," Varon said quietly. The redhead left him alone, brewing in his own thoughts. Varon was extremely disappointed. He did not understand why he was feeling angry that Amelda seemed to be getting chummy with the CEO. He did not question it, either. All he knew was that he was pickling in jealousy. He made plans to go to the tournament tomorrow and keep an eye on things.


	7. Chapter 7

**Raspberries & Crème**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own YUGIOH!

SO FAR (as of May 7, 2006)

Author's Note: I don't write duels. I suck at it. I like to watch them on TV, but that's where my interest ends. One of my favorites is the first duel between Raphael and the Pharaoh. I was on the edge of my seat when I saw that episode for the first time! There are other favorites, including the Ceremonial Duel.

Chapter 7

Jonouchi beat Pegasus in the first match, much to everyone's surprise. Yugi and friends cheered loudly. Seto fell out of his seat in shock. Mokuba, who had not been banned from witnessing the tournament, laughed his head off while trying to help his brother up. Amelda was the only one who was not surprised. He said he had been expecting it since Jonouchi had been the one to defeat Varon. Seto glared at Amelda. The last thing he wanted was for Jonouchi to win.

Pegasus was a good sport. "You get better and better every time I see you, Jonouchi-boy!" he praised. "I'm afraid I underestimated you! How do you do it?"

"I just never give up!" Jonouchi announced proudly. As they approached the stands where everyone was seated, an audible sniff carried on the wind. Sieg was glaring daggers at the pair of them. He looked distinctly ruffled. He sat next to Mokuba, who sat next to Seto, who (of course) was sitting next to Amelda.

"Nii-sama," Mokuba asked, ignoring Sieg. "Can I go and sit next to that girl over there?" He pointed to the girl he had been flirting with the previous night.

"I don't care," Seto answered. Mokuba took off, leaving an empty seat between Seto and Sieg. It was filled by Pegasus.

"How does that boy stay out of trouble?" Pegasus asked mildly.

"I'm too soft with him," Seto replied. "I'll have to work on that." In Seto's mind, not witnessing a Duel Monsters Tournament was the worst kind of punishment, and he did not wish that on his younger brother. Smashing his car did not warrant such a cruel punishment, apparently. Seto had told Mokuba that he would complete his punishment after the tournament was finished.

Amelda leaned in towards Seto's ear. "Who is she?" he whispered curiously, referring to the girl Mokuba was engaged in a conversation with.

Seto was thrilled to have Amelda so close. "I don't know," he answered truthfully. "Just someone from school, I suppose."

"Well, well, well," a loud voice said. "Look at what we've got here!" Everyone looked over to their left to see Varon standing there, giving Amelda and Seto a strange look. He was smiling, but his eyes were angry. Sieg's turquoise eyes widened in surprise, and he burst out laughing. "Shut up, pinky!" Varon bellowed hotly.

"I don't get it," Amelda stated as Sieg left. He turned to Varon. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you duel!" His baby blues shined. "Did I come in time?"

"Actually," the redhead said, looking over to where Sieg had gone. "yes - just in time." Sieg was in position on one end of the dueling field, waiting for Amelda to assume his place on the other side. He got up and Varon took his vacated seat. Amelda turned back to see the sight he never thought he would live to see: the two blue eyed brunettes in his life sitting side by side.

Once Amelda was out of earshot, "You want to know why I'm really here?" Varon addressed Seto without looking at him. "I know you're up to something with my best friend, and I'm not going to let you get away with it!"

Jonouchi, who was standing right there, looked perplexed. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Did you know that those two had been secretly seeing each other?" Varon replied. "They've been on a lunch date!"

"How do you know!" Seto asked angrily. "When I asked Amelda last night he told me that he didn't tell you anything!"

"I was bluffing," Varon sneered, turning to Seto for the first time. "Now I know the truth!"

"Kaiba," Jonouchi inquired. "Don't tell me that you're using this tournament for a means to an end!"

Seto glared at them both. Pegasus was raptly observing the whole thing with a huge smile. Yugi and friends were listening in, too. Everyone was missing the first few rounds of the duel between Amelda and Sieg.

Amelda had drawn his Spell Canceller in the first round, and the Balrog and the Royal Decree in the second. He had saved himself from Sieg's nasty spell and trap cards quickly. Now Sieg could not use his horrible Nibelung's Ring or his trap card, Wotan's Judgment. He was still waiting for his Valkyrie monsters.

"I'm not using this tournament as a means to an end! You're both jumping to conclusions!" Seto defended. It was only partially true. It was the fifth anniversary to Kaiba Land, after all. "You are making things up!" he said to Varon. "And you stay out of this, _zako_!" he said scathingly to Jonouchi. (_zako_ means "small fry")

"Stop calling me that!" Jonouchi returned.

"If you guys don't stop fighting you're going to miss the duel!" Yugi interrupted loudly.

"Who's winning?" Jonouchi asked rhetorically before turning around to answer his own question. Everyone gasped as the Valkyries assembled on the field. Now it was Amelda's turn. No one noticed Seto crossing his fingers. The redhead uncoveredtwo face down cards: Aetonix's Flame and Fire Whip. He stole all four Valkyries! Sieg shrieked angrily that Amelda was cheating. Amelda then used a quick magic card to skip Sieg's next turn so he could immediately use the captured monsters! (The rule is that he can't use them in the turn he stole them. Remember the first duel between him and Kaiba.) Everyone cheered Amelda on as he used Sieg's prized monsters in a crushing defeat. Amelda won.

"I knew he could do it!" Varon said proudly.

"I'm just glad I don't have to duel that pink-haired freak!" Jonouchi exclaimed. Five rows in behind them, they could all see Mokuba jumping up and down on his seat, cheering ecstatically. Seto was immensely pleased with this outcome, but he only showed the barest trace of a smile.

"Well done!" Pegasus applauded as Amelda returned. "You missed an interesting quarrel over here!"

"Shut up, Pegasus!" Seto snarled. Varon smirked. He wanted everything out in the open, but he did not want to be the one to tell Amelda what Seto had admitted.

Amelda looked tired. He did not bother asking. He sat down next to Varon. "How about a break before we duel, Jonouchi?" he suggested pleasantly.

"Sure," Jonouchi agreed. He looked over to the right side of the field. "Sieg looks like he has fainted!" There were a couple medics trying to revive the fallen dandy.

"I seem to have that effect on people," Amelda bemused. "Although, some seem to be immune to my charms." He winked at Seto. It took everything in the CEO not to blush.

Varon looked affronted. "What the hell!" he exploded. "Amelda, the bastard's only using you!"

"What?" the redhead ejaculated.

Seto smacked Varon upside the head before he could reply. Instant mistake! Varon leapt onto him and started trying to beat the living daylights out of him! The fight was brutal. Mokuba rushed forward to try and break it up. Jonouchi cheered Varon on! Yugi and Honda were trying to pull Seto away from the Aussie, while Amelda and Otogi were trying to keep Varon from the CEO. Mokuba stood in between, arms outstretched, trying to bring them both to their senses.

The two brunettes glared at each other while letting themselves be restrained. Both could have broken free, but they both knew that this was a bad place and time to fight. "This isn't over, Kaiba!" Varon hissed. "I won't let you near my friend!"

"You are an ass!" Seto scorned. "I'm not trying to hurt Amelda!" He locked eyes with the pacifist. "You know that, right?"

"I think you both are stupid," Amelda replied. "Varon, even if what you're saying is true, don't you think I can handle myself?" He let go of him. Otogi released him on cue as well. Varon stood there, all his muscles tensed as if ready to spring. He did not reply; he merely continued to glare at Seto.

Yugi and Honda released Seto as well. "You could have helped, Jonouchi!" Honda said heatedly. Jonouchi shrugged and gave them a sheepish grin. He had wanted to see Seto beaten up and was disappointed to see him hold his ground.

"Are you guys done?" Mokuba asked importantly. "We don't have all day! Jonouchi! Amelda! It's your turn to duel!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Raspberries & Crème**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own YUGIOH!

**Author's Note**:

I said it before and I'll say it again: I don't write duels. I am pretty sure I got the names of the cards right. You're to assume the math subtracts correctly from the life points. Amelda uses two different decks (not counting Pegasus') in the duels with Kaiba in the anime, and we don't get to see that many monsters. So, I gave him some new cards - _Narrow Corridor _(which Bakura used against Yugi) and some that I made up: _Seraphim_ - 0 def / 0 atk, special ability - replenish LP by 200 when destroyed; and _Archangel of Death _- 3000 def / 2700 atk, special ability - to use any equipment card without special requirements.

_Barrack_ is an Australian slang for cheer.

Chapter 8

It was the longest duel Amelda had ever been in. Jonouchi had the habit of improving his dueling skills each time he dueled. This was not good for Amelda's sake or for Seto's. He was on the edge of his seat in his own way. Mokuba had resumed sitting with him, and he was the only one who could tell his brother was very worked up over the outcome of the duel. Mokuba thought back to two nights prior, relating this bit of information to the fact that he had found the motherload of information on the redheaded pacifist.

Now, the younger Kaiba brother could only assume that the older brother's ulterior motive had to do with Amelda. _Why? _He still did not know. Nor did it make any sense to him whatsoever to invite Jonouchi, Pegasus, and Sieg (of all people). _What is Nii-sama up to?_

The duel had also been a close draw. Jonouchi had no idea what Amelda's deck was like since he had never dueled Amelda before. Also, the only person he knew to have dueled his opponent was Kaiba. Getting information from him was like pulling teeth out of an ornery crocodile! Jonouchi had used many new moves and all his best monsters. He had managed to bring Amelda's life points down to 10 before he lost!

Amelda had used some annoying new monsters called Seraphims that had no defense or attack points, but replenished his life points every time they were destroyed! So, Jonouchi had to come up with a strategy to overcome this. When he had drawn his Red Eyes Black Dragon, for several rounds it looked as if Amelda might lose. But, with Pot of Greed he had drawn a winning combo with his Ziggurat and the card Narrow Corridor (which limited the number of attacks per turn). So, the only thing Jonouchi could attack was the toy token and one other monster.

There had been one moment during the duel which Seto had made a mental note. Amelda had drawn a card, gave a meaningful look at it, and then had glanced at Seto. There was nothing Seto could infer from Amelda's neutral expression, and more importantly - Seto noticed that the card in question was never used. _Is he saving it for me? _Seto had wondered.

"Way to go, mate!" Varon cheered as his roommate approached. "I was barracking for you the whole time!"

"Thanks," Amelda said. He looked over to Seto, whose face was set in stone. "Are you two done fighting?" he asked pointedly to the both of them.

"No worries," Varon muttered. Seto did not reply. He was still upset, and he looked even angrier sporting a black and blue cheekbone.

"Don't worry, Amelda," Mokuba spoke up. "I have my eye on them!" He smiled pleasantly. "That was a great match, Jonouchi!" he addressed as Jonouchi neared.

Jonouchi grinned good naturedly. "Well, I do think so myself," he agreed. "I almost had that one. At least I can say I did better than Sieg!" He countenance became slightly irritated, recalling the duel he once had with the pink-haired duelist. He turned to Seto. "Good luck!" he teased.

Seto merely acknowledged with an apathetic glance. He stood up, and everyone stood back. Varon chuckled under his breath. After a very pregnant pause, he stated, "It's _my _turn!" His face broke into a smirk as he made eye contact with Amelda.

Amelda smiled. He was glad to see the cocky attitude return. He was not in the mood to duel a sour Kaiba. The tension coagulated in the air as the two men stood a foot from each other, each shuffling the other's deck. Seto kept his eyes on Amelda the entire time with his smirk now firmly in place. Only he knew what was going through his mind.

Amelda was not afraid to maintain eye contact nor to break it. He walked away after he returned Seto's deck without so much as a comment or backwards glance. The CEO proceeded to the other side of the field, ignoring Varon flipping him off. Jonouchi sat down with everyone else to enjoy the show. "Who do you think is going to win?" he asked Yugi.

"Well, I seem to be the only one who has actually been paying attention to all the duels!" Yugi inserted, slightly annoyed. "Amelda's strategies seem a bit rough around the edges. He relies on disabling his opponent and then setting up a defensive offense. I think Kaiba will win because he's dueled Amelda twice now and probably already has a plan to undo any sort of defensive strategy that Amelda puts up."

"Kaiba's lame!" Varon exclaimed, joining in. "Amelda is the sort of bloke who learns from his mistakes. He expects Kaiba to come up with something like that. So, he will change his strategy. If fact, he told me that he was more worried about dueling Jonouchi than Kaiba!"

"Really?" Jonouchi queried. "I feel flattered, but I don't know why."

"He asked me about you," Varon informed. "And once I explained how you dueled, he made some comment about how you are versatile. Kaiba is versatile, but he's not as adaptable as you are. That's what he was worried about."

"I know you are cheering for Amelda, but what makes you think that he'll defeat Kaiba? He didn't before." Yugi asked.

"Hey!" Varon defended. "He tied the first duel! And besides… I know his secret weapon! He went to Raphael's yesterday. Let's just say he's prepared!"

"Oh…" was the unanimous agreement. They all turned their attention to the duel. Kaiba had drawn out his rabid horseman. The redhead had summoned his Balrog and had already captured one of Seto's other monsters.

The duel progressed in a typical fashion. Seto's Blue Eyes were summoned strategically after he disabled the Flame Whip and destroyed the Balrog. He had a trap card covered to counteract Aetonix Flame as well. No one was surprised when Amelda summoned Ziggurat and placed a few more Seraphims on the field. Seto had a choice between attacking a Seraphim or a toy token. If he did not attack the token, they would only accumulate. Amelda had taken out the first Blue Eyes by using a magic card to up the points of his Ziggurat.

However, another Blue Eyes was summoned quickly. The duel went on like this. They were both losing life points gradually. Seto's strategy was to keep his precious dragons on the field, while Amelda's stategy was to destroy the Blue Eyes and let Seto bring the dragons back by whatever means. Usually this called for a sacrifice or two.

Seto had more monsters in his grave that he had sacrificed just to keep his Blue Eyes in play than the Pharaoh did when he had first dueled Raphael. Amelda's cheshire-cat widened as Seto's confident attitude never waned. He had no clue what was going to hit him.

It looked like a victory for Seto when he had wiped out Ziggurat, all of Amelda's remaining monsters, and covered cards. The redhead's life points were down to 250 and wide open. It was his turn.

"I play Pot of Greed," he declared, showing Seto the card before discarding it and drawing two more. The look of worry left his face when he saw what he had drawn. A sadistic smile made him look insanely beautiful. "You are going down!" he cried. "Your pride will be your undoing!"

Seto laughed. "You sound too familiar." He glanced over to Yugi quickly, and then he returned to Amelda, grinning smugly. "I'll show you that I'll always be on top of you!"

Amelda forced himself not to blush. He laughed out of nerves. "Then prepare to be disappointed! I summon Archangel of Death!"

Seto stopped laughing. He looked stunned for a moment. "That's not enough to defeat my Blue Eyes!" For a second, he thought Amelda had lost his mind.

"And this!" the redhead exclaimed savagely. He placed Celestial Sword onto the field - where the Archangel was able to pick it up.

It dawned on Seto what was about to happen. He snarled in displeasure. "You can't use that!" he alleged.

"Really?" Amelda sarcastically replied. "Duelist use borrowed cards all the time; it's not against the rules. You're just sore because you're going to lose!" And with that, he executed Celestial Sword's special ability to absorb the attack power of all the monsters in Seto's graveyard that he had sacrificed. "Now, blow him away!" Amelda commanded his monster.

Seto was defeated in a blaze of glory. So was his pride. First the fight with Varon and now this. His plan was not proceeding as he had intended. He left the field and returned to his brother's side. His face was neutral. Amelda walked over, looking a little hesitant.

Only Mokuba could see the forlorn look in his nii-sama's eyes as he numbly congratulated Amelda on winning. Amelda had expected Seto to be a sore loser the way Varon usually was. He was taken aback. Even Jonouchi made sure not to sound too enthusiastic that Seto had lost.

"So what now?" Amelda asked quietly. "Do I get a trophy or something?"

Seto laughed softly. _You were supposed to be my trophy_, he thought. "There's no trophy or ceremony. This tournament was only held to celebrate the anniversary of Kaibaland. We didn't even televise this one."

Mokuba looked confused. "Nii-sama," he inquired, "what was that special dinner you had planned?" Seto silenced him with a look.

"Dinner?" Jonouchi asked, his interest peaked. "I don't remember anything about an after-duel dinner."

Mokuba couldn't keep his mouth shut. "The chef told me it that Nii-sama told him that it was for the winner of the tournament."

"Really?" Amelda piped up cheerily. "That sounds nice of you, Kaiba!"

"Just for the winner?" Pegasus speculated. "The winner if you were defeated, or the winner of the first two rounds?"

"Whoever dueled against me," Seto informed reluctantly. "I wasn't planning on losing, Pegasus!"

"How come we're not invited?" Jonouchi asked heatedly. He hated missing out on good food, even if it meant being in the same room with Kaiba.

"That's my perogative," Seto said. His confidence had returned to his voice. "I wasn't sure whether or not you'd be interested." he stated, turning to the redhead. _I had planned on asking you in private when you were supposed to be impressed by my victory. _He gave another look of "shut up" to Mokuba before continuing to explain himself. "The dinner is just a formality."

"Oh," Amelda murmured, disappointed.

Varon rose and stood next to Amelda. "Well, _I_ had planned on celebrating with _my_ best friend! He's not going anywhere with you, Kaiba!"

Amelda turned to his roommate. Mokuba could see the familiar anger flare up, and he moved behind his nii-sama for protection. "Varon," he snarled prickly, "I'm sick of you telling me what to do!" And then he exploded, "I don't know what the hell your problem is, but I am going to do what I want whether you like it or not!" He turned to Seto. Everyone was shocked to see a playful smile and hear a polite, calm voice. "Where and when?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Raspberries & Crème**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own YUGIOH!

**Author's Note**: I thought the last chapter was written better than the previous chapters. I was surprised it didn't get as many reviews. Well, this story is almost finished. _Please leave a review_, especially if you like this story! There isn't a whole lot of warshipping out there, and I feel discouraged from time to time. I have two more warshipping fics on the way (one is coming _real _soon! Please see profile), and I would like to know if readers are still interested. Thanks.

Also, I created a Warshipping C2. If you know any warshipping fics out there that I haven't added, including your own - send me a PM please, and I'll add it! Thanks!

Chapter 9

"Nii-sama, may I be blunt?" Mokuba asked.

"Since you're incapable of subtly I don't see what choice I have," Seto replied casually. He was sitting at the desk in his study, working to kill time until Amelda arrived.

"What is your ulterior motive to this whole tournament?" Mokuba blurted out. Seto barely showed any reaction. Mokuba keenly observed his older brother's face for the slightest clue. He thought he saw _something…_ too indiscernible to name.

"What do you think? And why do you ask?" Seto rhetorically inquired.

"I'm not sure," Mokuba answered seriously. "All this stuff with Amelda. It's strange that you would do these things: the catering for Amelda's favorite foods, the wine from his family vineyard, the tournament, the dinner tonight…" Mokuba's voice trailed off.

Seto made a noncommittal noise, not bothering to answer. _So he's on to me_, he thought. _Well, it's too late for him to ruin it now. I'm making my move tonight. I guess I better fill him in._ "Mokuba," he said slowly. "You're right."

"Huh? You are up to something?"

"Yes. Have you figured it out?"

"I know it has something to do with Amelda," Mokuba replied astutely. "So, what do you want from him?"

"I want him."

"For what?"

"For me," Seto stated. He tore his eyes away from the computer screen to meet Mokuba's gaze. An astonished recognition passed over his younger brother's features. He did not look upset, which was a plus. But he did not look happy, which concerned Seto.

"Oh," Mokuba murmured. "I won't get in your way then." He walked out of the room in a daze. The pensive brunette sincerely hoped that Mokuba was only suffering from shock.

Mokuba did not return for another half hour. He stood by his nii-sama, waiting patiently for him to pause long enough in his work to acknowledge him.

"Yes?"

"Amelda's here," Mokuba said. He grinned good-naturedly. "Good luck! Just don't tell me any of the details!" And he ran out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him, laughing his head off.

Seto chuckled under his breath to himself, amused by his younger brother's resolution.

He felt a little nervous, but maintained his confidence. He walked to the entrance where Amelda was waiting, making a mental note on the redhead's sexy apparel. Seto led him to the dining room, where the table was already set. As soon as they both sat down, the food was brought out and placed before them.

Amelda was at a loss for words. He had thought about everything that had been happening lately. It did not go unnoticed by Amelda that all the food just happened to be his favorites. He had neglected to say anything before because he had not been sure what exactly Kaiba was up to. Now, he thought he had a pretty good idea. "So, are you happy with the outcome of the tournament?" Amelda asked.

"No," Seto muttered. "I wanted to win."

"Oh, I thought it was just to celebrate the fifth year anniversary to Kaibaland."

"That too," Seto added. He looked up at Amelda, uncertain as to what they should converse about.

"You're a terrible liar," Amelda commented casually. "Don't think it isn't obvious what you're really after."

"What?" Seto tried to sound innocent; it came out anything but.

"Let's skip the pretenses," Amelda suggested. "Forget the food and come with me. There's only one thing that I'm hungry for."

Seto did not know what to make of this. He obliged, following his guest, who led him out of the dining room and up the staircase. "Do you know where you're going?" Seto asked.

"Yes." He replied vaguely. He elaborated no further. Seto followed him in silence straight to his own bedroom.

Excitement and anticipation flooded through the CEO. "How do you know where my bedroom is?"

"It's better if you don't ask," Amelda answered. He opened the ornate double doors nonchalantly. He strolled into the room, sat down upon the end of the master bed, and took off his boots.

Seto gulped. He was too exhilarated to be nervous about his first time. He copied Amelda's movements and turned to the redhead. He wanted to make sure that he was the only one for Amelda before proceeding further. "What about Varon?"

"I will deal with him later," Amelda said quietly. "He won't speak to me right now. I think he's just jealous."

"I know that! Look what he did to me!" Seto said vehemently, pointing to the bruise upon his cheekbone.

"I've had worse," Amelda snickered. "Anyways, you are only a threat to him because he does not want me to leave him."

"So, you are with him?"

"Not in that sense," Amelda replied. "When Raphael moved out and got married, Varon brooded like a little dark storm cloud for three weeks! Now it's just me and him living together. He just doesn't want to be the last person to find love."

"Is that what we have? Love?"

One look into Amelda's eyes told Seto all he needed to know. The redhead smiled at him in such a way that clearly stated his intentions. "What I need to know," Amelda said, "is how you feel, Kaiba."

"Well," Seto replied, "you can start calling me Seto. Does that help?"

"Say it, _Seto_."

He looked straight into Amelda's silvery eyes again, making sure to let all his defenses down. He was too accustomed to enforcing a neutral expression. He wanted his intentions clearly understood. "I want you. I want you here, now, tomorrow, and until there is no tomorrow."

A cheshire-cat smile stretched across the pacifist's features. Adrenaline and passion bubbled up from the pits of Amelda's stomach. His head felt light and giddy. They stared at each other for a few more split seconds until…

Somehow, Seto found himself on the floor. The force of Amelda launching himself at him had caused him to lose his balance. He did not complain; Amelda was on top, kissing him madly.

Fingers ran through hair, clothes were removed, and the redhead showed his new lover how to put on a condom hands-free! Seto made sure the door was locked so that Mokuba would not wander in accidentally. They both found themselves in the middle of the large bed, fingers exploring the crevices of smooth, fleshy sculpture, and mapping out every inch.

"Wait," Seto breathed. "There's something I need to do." He leaned in close to Amelda's hair, inhaling the scent of the redhead's shampoo. _Raspberries_, he thought. _It does_ _smell like raspberries! And now for the crème… _

**A/N**: This is not the end - I can't leave poor Varon hanging! Reviews _please_! The more the better! Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

**Raspberries & Crème**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

**Author's Note**: It's been fun, guys! Thank you all for reading! A huge thank you for all who have left a review! You guys rock! (Glomps LeDiva) Thank you so much for leaving a review every chapter! That always brightened my day! (Yes, I'm a sap.)

Oh, and Varon did get his bike back from the shop.

Chapter 10

Amelda returned home late the next morning. He noticed that the yellow motorcycle was still in the drive, which meant that Varon was still home. He sighed, trying to relieve some of the anxiety he withheld. He told Seto his plan this morning, who had not approved of Amelda's method at first. The redhead walked through the front door to come face to face with a glowering Aussie.

Varon's arms were folded huffily across his chest, and his eyes were wet and pink. He had been crying. He would never admit it, but Amelda knew him well enough to know and to not say so. Amelda stood in the doorway, and they just stared at each other. Knowing that the silence would soon be broken by earsplitting yells in a matter of seconds, Amelda acted quickly. He grabbed the back of Varon's head and pulled him close, kissing him roughly. If Varon's mouth had not opened at just the right time, the redhead would never have been able to get his tongue in.

The brunette went completely limp. His arms dropped to the side, and Amelda was beginning to think he had made a mistake. But he had not. A moment later Varon pushed himself out of Amelda's reach. He stared wide-eyed in alarm at his roommate, breathing a little heavier than normal. "That was a great kiss, mate!" he exclaimed. "But I don't think that's what I wanted."

"Then why the hell have you been acting like a jealous boyfriend?" Amelda snapped. He had intended to be a little softer but his temper got the better of him.

"I just don't want to be left all by myself!" he replied heatedly. "Raphael moved out. Now he hardly ever visits! Damn that guy! I miss him! And I know I'm going to miss you, too!" He sniffed back the oncoming tears in an attempt to be more manly.

Amelda melted like butter. He smiled and gave Varon a big hug. "You can't get rid of me that easily!" He let Varon go, gazing into the baby-blues.

"I don't think you understand, mate," Varon said softly. "Who will feed me? I can't cook to save my life! And who will play video games with me? And who will I have to rib if you move out? Good on you that you've found love and all, mate. I'm really selfish, you know. I know you're going to leave me, and I don't want you to go."

"Well, I'm not moving out right away," Amelda replied softly. "And I think it's time you seriously consider being more serious with at least one of those skirts that you chase around. How many are you with now?"

"Uh… three, I think."

"Pick the one most likely to commit and not drive you crazy after a while," Amelda suggested. "And stick with her. Furthermore, when did you find out I was gay? All this time I thought you didn't know. Raphael is going to be in shock when I tell him."

"I'm not that oblivious! I guess I've always known; how could I not? I just didn't care one way or the other. You are you, and I am me," Varon explained in his own logic. "I don't change myself or the way I act for anyone!"

"Except for Mai."

"Well… she was soft on the eyes, hard on the heart," Varon said sheepishly, blushing slightly. He moved again out of Amelda's reach, rubbing the back of his neck gingerly. "I'm really sorry, mate, for everything," he apologized - not looking at his roommate, but the floor.

"I forgive you, Varon," Amelda said kindly. "You gave me quite a scare! I didn't want to hurt you." He brightened, thinking of a way to cheer his roommate up. "Varon, there is another party that Seto's throwing. He told me about it this morning."

"A party for what? And I'm invited?" Varon asked skeptically. "How did you convince him to do that?"

"I didn't. It was his idea," Amelda informed, suddenly realizing that perhaps Seto was up to something, again. "It's to celebrate the opening of a new Kaibaland in Hong Kong. Duelist and other respectable people from China will be there."

"Do I have to wear I tie?"

"Well, considering that Seto told me to, I should think so."

"You're not going to, are you?" Varon asked rhetorically, meeting silver eyes and grinning.

"Not a chance!"

Later that week at the party…

Varon wore the same traditional black and white tux he had worn to Raphael's wedding, complete with bow tie. He looked quite handsome; but there was nothing that could be done about his hair. Amelda had opted for a more formal attire this time, but he adamantly refused to wear a tie. He wore a charcoal grey suit with a taupe shirt underneath. In place of a tie, he had pinned a large cameo in the top button hole, and that was it. Seto was impressed nonetheless. It was probably the most he could get out of the redhead until the wedding.

The two Doom bikers found themselves hanging together after awhile, feeling like fish out of water. Seto had gone off to greet the important guest and to make a few speeches. Varon had tried his luck with several of the pretty ladies in attendance, but his Chinese was even worse than his Japanese. So, he hung back, keeping the lonely redhead company, and getting drunk on wine.

The two were feeling pretty complacent until Varon noticed the hackles raised on his friend. "What is it mate?" Varon inquired. Amelda hissed angrily, glaring silver daggers in a fixed direction. Varon's eyes followed the line of sight, coming to Seto Kaiba, who had a vivacious Chinese lady hanging all over him. Seto looked as if he had given up trying to shove her off himself.

Amelda started walking over, but Varon reached out and stopped him. "Let me handle this!" he suggested, smirking. Amelda knew that smile, and he trusted Varon. So the Aussie sauntered off, and as he approached he started to strut. "Hello there, Kaiba!" he greeted. Vivian stopped gushing for a moment to look at him. "I see you got your hands full. Why don't you introduce me to this beautiful flower?"

Seto was stunned. His mind reeled with excitement of getting rid of Vivian. "Varon, this is Vivian Wong," Seto introduced formally. "She's the Duel Monster's Champion of China. Vivian, this is Varon. He is best friends with Amelda."

She suddenly seemed a little more interested in Varon. "Amelda? You mean that foreigner who beat you?" she asked Seto.

"You don't need to remind me," Seto muttered under his breath.

Vivian looked at Varon. "Are you as good as Amelda?" she asked impatiently. "I have high standards, after all. I don't associate myself with losers!"

Varon flashed her his most egotistical smile. "Ma'am, I am the best!" he stated confidently. "Just you duel me; you'll see! Let's take this out back, shall we?"

Vivian's sparkling brown eyes gleamed. "You'll regret challenging me!" And she released Seto and followed the grinning Aussie out of sight.

The CEO breathed a sigh of relief. He had invited Varon for that very reason. He glanced around the room, hoping that Amelda had not seen the whole thing. When his eyes found the redhead, the look upon his face told Seto that he had. He walked over to his lover. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said. "I couldn't even get her off with a crowbar. She was all over Yugi at KC Grand Prix, so I was lucky then."

Amelda muttered something inaudible.

"What?"

"Forget it, Seto," he said, louder this time. "Just make it up to me tonight!" He winked.

Three days later…

"So, you finally decided to return home?" Amelda asked as the Aussie stepped through the front door.

Varon grinned broadly. "Aww… don't tell me you were worried about me!" he laughed. "You know how these things go."

Amelda snarled and made dire threats. "I would hope that you would be more serious!" he lectured. "After everything you put me through!"

"Yeah, about that…" Varon said slowly. "I hate to do this to you, mate, but I'm moving out."

"What?" Amelda exploded. "You are leaving? You mean it will just be me, now?"

"Yup!" Varon replied happily. "I really like that Vivian! She's a little fireball, and she's a great cook! It's love, mate! Love!"

Amelda laughed in spite of himself. "What about me?"

"Doesn't Kaiba have enough space to spare in that large mansion of his?" Varon suggested playfully. "You could move in with him. We could sell the house and split the money between us."

"Three ways, you mean," Amelda reminded him. "Raphael had paid his share, too, when we bought it."

"Oh, yeah," Varon murmured. "I guess so. He needs it, doesn't he?" He looked at his roommate. "Ready to start packing?"

"What? Now?"

"Sure, why not? I'll help you move if you help me," Varon replied. "Go call your boyfriend, mate."

"Nyah," Amelda replied. "It'll be funnier if I just show up!"

The End

**Please leave a review**! Thank you! And a thank you to those who put me on their **Story Alert**. I guess this means that it won't be necessary anymore. Please switch me over to **Author Alert**, (it will be more for your convenience than anything) since I do have another warshipping fic coming by the end of June 2006 (or so). It's called **Mokuba's Plan**. I have two more fics after that! I have ideas for 19 more, so it isn't like I'm going to stop writing! THANK YOU!


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